WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, S.C. — Gov. Henry McMaster, the Open Space Institute (OSI), South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCPRT), and supporters today celebrated the official opening of South Carolina’s fiftieth state park, The Meadows at Black River State Park.
The Meadows opens to the public on April 2. It is located at 6252 US Highway 521 in Salters.
The event marked a significant step forward for a singular vision: the state’s first-ever riverine network of public parks and paddle launches along 70 miles of the Black River. As additional properties open, Black River State Park– at 9,000 acres and counting – will eventually be among the largest in the state park system.
To commemorate the occasion, state and local partners joined community members for a ceremonial dedication and ribbon cutting, led by Gov. McMaster, SCPRT’s Director Duane Parrish, OSI’s
President and CEO Erik Kulleseid and Maria Whitehead, PhD, Senior Vice President of Land, and State Senator Ronnie Sabb.
“Our state parks play an essential role in protecting South Carolina’s natural heritage and ensuring these lands and waters are preserved long into the future,” said Governor McMaster. “The Meadows at Black River State Park will provide more opportunities for families and visitors to enjoy the natural beauty that defines our way of life.”
The opening of The Meadows is the result of years of collaborative work through the OSI-led Black River Initiative, which will ultimately yield the full state park system and the larger Black River State Park and Water Trail Network.
“This project has always been about bringing people back to the river,” said Maria Whitehead, OSI’s Sr. Vice President of Land for the Southeast. “With the opening of The Meadows, the community’s long‑standing hopes for public access to the land and water—as well as larger visions for preserving these remarkable landscapes for people and wildlife—are now becoming realities. OSI is grateful to Governor McMaster, South Carolina State Parks, and the many partners who have joined us on this journey—and those who will walk, paddle, and explore with us in the years to come!”
“From our roots in the Civilian Conservation Corps, to our new buds of growth along the Black River, South Carolina State Parks protect and share some of our most precious natural, cultural, and recreational resources,” said Duane Parrish, SCPRT’s Director. “Tourism is an economic engine in South Carolina, and our state parks are pillars of the industry, driving visitation and visitor dollars to some of our most rural areas. As the fiftieth park in our system, the Meadows is exactly what a modern state park should be. It connects people to recreational opportunities, preserves fragile ecosystems, and invites locals and visitors to experience this spellbinding region.”
State Senator Ronnie Sabb, a longtime champion of the project, said, “This park network is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our region, and I thank State Parks, OSI, and everyone involved for creating something extraordinary for Williamsburg County and the entire state.”